Nice Carnival
Nice Carnival, one of the most beautiful carnivals in the world!
Join us from 15 February to 02 March 2025 for the “King of the Seas and Oceans” edition.
Explosion of colour & emotion
The Nice Carnival is the No. 1 carnival in France and one of the three most famous and beautiful carnivals in the world, alongside Rio and Venice.
Its international renown makes the Carnival one of the Côte d’Azur’s top winter events. Every winter, in February, for 2 weeks of festivities, the Carnival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors!
The sumptuously decorated floats, colourful costumes, performances by troupes from France and Europe, explosions of colour and lively music make Carval an unmissable event!
History of Nice Carnival ✨
It was in 1294 that “the joyous days of Carnival” were first mentioned by Charles d’Anjou, Count of Provence.
In 1873, Nice resident Andriot Saëtone set up the “Comité des fêtes” to organise Carnival and attract wealthy winter visitors to Nice. The 1st Carnival entered the city in February 1873.
Until 1971, the event became spectacular, drawing on contemporary events, the grotesque and the fabulous. The creative work carried out on the floats combined modernity and tradition, a fact that was to be underlined by the UNESCO designation of tangible intangible heritage.
It was in the 19th century that the Carnival came into its own as we know it today. Nice became the “capital of the winter resort”.
Your tickets for Nice Carnival
Ticketing opens in 2025!
⚠️ All admission requires a ticket. Children of all ages must have a ticket, whether in the pedestrian zone or in the grandstand.
Flowers parade 💐
Created in 1876, the Flowers parade was originally a simple exchange of flowers to entertain tourists! Over the years, it has become the elegant parade of the Nice Carnival and a showcase for local produce.
Roses, mimosa, carnations, gladioli… 80% of the flowers used are produced locally. More than 4,000 stems of fresh flowers are needed to create each float, carefully hand-decorated by the florists of Nice.
Did you know? The unique costumes are created in a temporary workshop dedicated to Carnival by costume designers from the world of show business, who juggle original fabrics and materials.
At the heart of the festivities
Established in 2022 and set up every year during the carnival festivities on the Promenade du Paillon, the Carnival Village is free to the public and features a variety of artistic activities, creative workshops and food stalls for young and old alike.
Come along to the Carnival Village to experience the carnival to the full!
Lou Queernaval, aN LGBTQIA+ event
Lou Queenarval is the 1st gay carnival in France! With rainbow-coloured floats and flamboyant costumes, the event creates a vivid picture of solidarity and inclusion. See you on Friday 23 February for the 2024 edition.
Lou Queernaval raises awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues and promotes equality. Attracting participants from all over the world, it reinforces the image of Nice Côte d’Azur as the LGBTQIA+ friendly destination par excellence through its many establishments with the Irisée Naturellement label!
Artists, dancers, big heads, stilt walkers and other extraordinary creatures will be inviting you to celebrate sharing and living together! Dance and laugh to electric sounds and create unforgettable memories in the Côte d’Azur capital!
Nice Carnival, a booster for the local economy
Backstage at Nice Carnival
Nice Carnival is characterised in part by its huge floats (up to 17m high and 12m long) and its humorous big heads, created by the Carnavaliers niçois. These behind-the-scenes craftsmen and artists, with their unique skills, work for much of the year on a theme imposed by the municipality. Their skills are often handed down from generation to generation, and involve several different trades.
